In North America when people meet each other for the first time, they talk about things like family, work, school, or sports. They ask questions like “Do you have any brothers or sisters?”, “Where do you work?”, “What school do you go to?”, and “Do you like sports?”, and “Where do you live?” These are polite questions. They are not personal or private.
But some things are personal or private, and questions about them are not polite. People don’t ask questions about a person’s salary. They don’t ask how much someone paid for something. It is OK to ask children how old they are, but it is not polite to ask older people their age. It is also not polite to ask people questions about politics or religion unless you know them well people don’t ask unmarried people “Why are you single?”, and they don’t ask a married couple with no children “Why don’t you have children?”
(1) Look at the following questions. Are they polite (P) or not polite (NP) when you meet someone for the first time in North America?
(A) What does your wife do? __________
(B) Do you believe in God? __________
(C) How much money do you earn? _________
(D) How many children do you have? _________
(E) Do you like baseball? __________
(F) How old are you, Mr. Lee? ____________
(G) Are you a Democrat or a Republican? ___________
(H) How much was your watch? _____________
(2) Look at the questions again. Are they polite or not polite in your country?
(3) Read and practice the following conversation.
(A) Hi! How are you?
(B) Fine thanks. And you?
(A) I am pretty good. How is your job?
(B) Just fine. We are very busy at the moment.
(A) We are too. We have a lot of new clients.
(B) That’s great. We are in the same situation. All going well we should receive
a good bonus at the end of the year!
(A) You are lucky. If our company has a good year we only receive a larger
Christmas hamper.
(B) It was great talking to you! I have to go. See you!
(A) See you. Until later.
ANSWERS: MEETING SOMEONE FOR THE FIRST TIME
(1) Look at the following questions. Are they polite (P) or not polite (NP) when you meet someone for the first time in North America?
(A) What does your wife do? P
(B) Do you believe in God? NP
(C) How much money do you earn? NP
(D) How many children do you have? P
(E) Do you like baseball? P
(F) How old are you, Mr. Lee? NP
(G) Are you a Democrat or a Republican? NP
(H) How much was your watch? NP
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